White hawthorn , known depending on the country by other names such as hawthorn or hawthorn , is a medicinal plant belonging to the Rosaceae family and has been used since ancient Greek and Roman cultures for therapeutic purposes.
At present it is used as an effective remedy to prevent angina pectoris as well as to help dissolve kidney stones among other healing purposes. The substances that have these medicinal properties in hawthorn are found in its flowers and leaves.
What is hawthorn?
Hawthorn is a thorny shrub belonging to the Rosaceae family , also called Crataegus Monogyna or Crataegus Oxyacantha . Medium size, with an approximate height of two meters and quite hard wood, with dark green leaves and white flowers that are the most used due to their properties and benefits conferred.
The flowers are usually collected in spring, when they are about to open, and they are dried as quickly as possible in airy, shady places. They are kept in bags without being crushed and in cool places.
To highlight: The fruits of the hawthorn are edible, red and these and the leaves of the plant or shrub can be added to salads due to their high content of vitamin C and the way in which they are related to improving anxiety, palpitations and insomnia .
Hawthorn properties
The medicinal or pharmacological properties and capacities of hawthorn are mainly attributed to its proanthocyanidins and other glycosylated derivatives such as flavonoids. They contain sugars and sugar alcohols, organic and phenolic acids, essential oils, vitamin C, and are considered an important source of manganese.
The composition of its biological and active principles allow a great tolerance to its consumption and the use of all the benefits that they are capable of contributing to the organism. Studies oriented to the use of the plant for the benefit of cardiovascular health, antiplatelet action, reduction of arrhythmias, antioxidant and vasodilator effect stand out.
What is hawthorn used for?
It contains a large amount of powerful antioxidants , such as flavonoids and oligomeric proanthocyanidins that are responsible for canceling the action of harmful free radicals .
Note: Among its best-known health benefits, its power to intervene as a cardiac tonic in the event of heart failure or angina pectoris, in addition to controlling blood pressure, stands out.
But in addition to that, the properties of hawthorn for health are also those of balancing the nervous system, acting as a natural relaxant for the nerves, as well as having antispasmodic benefits in the muscles.
But its medicinal benefits go further and among them the following should be highlighted:
- Ideal for treating the problem of hypertension.
- Reduces vertigo in terms of its frequency and intensity.
- Improves heart health, preventing problems and diseases related to this organ.
- In case of high blood pressure reduces tinnitus.
- It is a natural sedative that helps in cases of insomnia and anxiety.
- Reduces the discomfort of women in the menopause stage.
- Improves blood circulation and varicose veins.
- Helps reduce bad cholesterol in the blood.
- They are used to reduce fever.
- Improves sexual activity by regulating blood circulation and being a good vasodilator.
- It serves to combat excess fluids in the body.
1. Heart Health Benefits
In the benefits that hawthorn brings to heart health, it is mainly reflected in the elderly, acting on cases of cardiac arrhythmia, reducing the risk of heart attacks and also being a very important nutrient for this organ. (1)
In patients with angina pectoris, the cardiotonic and recuperative effect is already noticeable in the short term, thanks also to its effects on naturally lowering blood pressure .
2. Sedative properties
Hawthorn extract has a relaxing effect, since it acts directly on the nervous system, being very beneficial in people with sleep problems, anxiety or with a high level of stress. It is especially indicated in stages of stress within periods of greater demand, as well as in menopause . Its positive effects are also noted in cases of neurovegetative dystonia.
3. To reduce hypertension
Blood pressure must be controlled to avoid suffering from vision problems that can even end in loss of vision, as well as to also reduce the risk of heart attacks . (two)
While it is true that the best way to avoid these accidents is to follow a healthy diet, exercise or avoid harmful substances such as alcohol and tobacco, hawthorn helps reduce high blood pressure without presenting the side effects that can be observed with synthetic drugs.
4. To reduce cholesterol
The polyphenols that this plant contains, and especially the substance called low-intensity lipoprotein, help control the level of bad cholesterol in the blood , transforming bad cholesterol into good. This is very important to avoid the formation of plaques in the arteries that can later lead to heart attacks.
Note: The ideal is to complement a healthy diet rich in omega 3 fatty acids as well as to practice physical exercise on a regular basis and also to take infusions of hawthorn.
5. For cosmetic uses
The most notable among the cosmetic properties of the hawthorn plant are those of helping to eliminate fat on the skin. To use it as a natural beauty remedy for this purpose, what is done is macerate its leaves in alcohol or it would also be worth doing it with demineralized water. The resulting extract is passed over the skin using a cotton pad to clean the grease. (3)
To highlight: In health food stores you can find creams or other lotions , as well as masks that contain hawthorn for external use on the skin, which allows the content to be used for a specific function.
How do you take hawthorn?
There are different ways to take hawthorn to apply the use of a treatment, or prevention of diseases , thus taking advantage of its active components (4). The most commonly used are listed below:
- Infusions: Adding a spoonful of dry hawthorn leaves in a cup of boiling water, covering and straining after a few minutes.
- Bark infusion: 15 grams of bark are added for each liter of infusion that you want to prepare.
- Extract: It is taken at a rate of between 30 and 40 drops with a little water every night, although depending on the extract it can be taken 3 times a day in doses of between 10 and 30 drops.
- Tincture: In this case, the maceration of the hawthorn flowers is left in about 20ml of 70 degree alcohol for 20 days.
- Capsules: It is also sold in this format and between 1 and 3 are usually taken per day.
Contraindications of hawthorn
Despite the fact that hawthorn is considered a product with countless benefits and contributions to the health of our body, there are certain contraindications that must be taken into account to avoid the appearance of adverse or secondary effects that affect our quality of life. These factors will be mentioned below:
- Do not take during pregnancy or lactation.
- It should not be administered to children without prior medical authorization.
- People who consume benzodiazepines or cardiotonic heteroxides should not take hawthorn.
University Professional in the area of Human Resources, Postgraduate in Occupational Health and Hygiene of the Work Environment, 14 years of experience in the area of health. Interested in topics of Psychology, Occupational Health, and General Medicine.